Max Payne finds himself playing bodyguard for a wealthy family in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the third game of the series.

Published by Rockstar Games and developed by Rockstar Studios, “Max Payne 3” invites players to assume the role of Max once again in this third-person shooter mayhem. This time around, Payne has left the NYPD for a new adventure in faraway Brazil. The signature in-game bullet-time feature allows players to live out “Matrix”-style run-and-gun animations. This new iteration of the game has Max Payne playing bodyguard for a wealthy family in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and of course, since it’s a Max Payne game, all hell breaks loose in no time. While fighting his addiction to alcohol and pain pills, Max must use his abilities to keep his employers safe. Not only will you be fighting across Sao Paulo, but there are a few flashbacks to Hoboken, N.Y., and the Panama Canal. The game’s run-and-gun play style is still fun to play, and the new added cover mechanic works well. Now, instead of just running out and relying on your bullet-time to take enemies out, you can take cover and plan an assault on the enemy. Many weapons are at Max’s disposal, and the player is allowed to carry up to two pistols and a larger weapon such as a shotgun or assault rifle — but once you dual wield your pistols, you must drop the larger weapon. Killing enemies cranks up the adrenaline meter, which is used for the cool “Matrix”-like bullet-time effect that is still just as fun to play as it was in 1998 in the original Max Payne video game. The graphical violence in the game is high, with blood spurting out of your enemies, and when you kill the last enemy in a group, the bullet-time is slowed down, which only adds to the ample amounts of blood that spill out. The multiplayer version is fun, too, and gives the player a lot of options to customize his or her appearance. You can even form crews online with friends. There aren’t many things to gripe about in “Max Payne 3,” but there are a few small issues. Sometimes you will come across an awkward camera angle when you’re in tight areas or in cover. Also, the game is pretty difficult in some situations and will require the player to replay through scenes to advance to the next level. Another gripe is with online play, as players who have put in more time than you will have the advantage with better weapons, armor, loadouts and perks. Although the difficulty may be a problem at times, “Max Payne 3” is one of the better games released this year. The audio is excellent, with great voice acting and even a nice soundtrack. Of course, I enjoy the violence and dark gameplay, but the stellar story line is worth mentioning as well. Plus, since it’s been out for a while now, it was a steal to grab this game brand new for only $20.